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Do the mechanisms modulating host preference in holometabolous phytophagous insects depend on their host plant specialization? A quantitative literature analysis

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Abstract

In holometabolous phytophagous insects, adult females and larvae determine host plant selection through oviposition and feeding preferences. Pre-imaginal and/or imaginal experiences with plant chemical cues can modulate these preferences. Various studies found evidence, or not, of host preference modulation through previous experience but they appear to contradict each other. Most probably, modulation of host preference depends on the degree of specialization of the insects. Our literature analysis revealed that the positive influence of experience in the modulation of host plant preference occurred equally in polyphagous, oligophagous and monophagous species, but was significantly more influenced by the phylogeny of the insect and the developmental stage involved in plant cue experience. Identification of phylogenic and developmental stage factors of “host learning” abilities appeared to be key information for predicting the response of species to habitat modifications rather than the insect’s degree of host plant specialization. The signification of this output on the fact that some insect species or populations shifted from the wild to cultivated habitats to become important pests is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) and icipe (Nairobi, Kenya) for their financial supports. Thanks are also given to Fritz Schulthess for his review of the manuscript and the anonymous reviewers for their useful recommendations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie, CNRS-IRD-Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, Campus CNRS, Bâtiment 13, BP1-91198, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

    Christophe Petit, Stéphane Dupas, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Bruno Le Ru, Myriam Harry & Paul-André Calatayud

  2. IRD, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Christophe Petit, Stéphane Dupas, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Bruno Le Ru & Paul-André Calatayud

  3. icipe, African Insect Science for Food and Health, PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Christophe Petit, Bruno Le Ru & Paul-André Calatayud

  4. INRA, UMR 1065 Save, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, ISVV, 33882, Villenave d’Ornon, France

    Denis Thiéry

  5. UFR Sciences, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France

    Myriam Harry

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  1. Christophe Petit
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  2. Stéphane Dupas
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  3. Denis Thiéry
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  4. Claire Capdevielle-Dulac
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  5. Bruno Le Ru
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Correspondence to Christophe Petit.

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Authors Christophe Petit, Stéphane Dupas, Denis Thiéry, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Bruno Le Ru, Myriam Harry and Paul-André Calatayud declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by N. Desneux.

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Petit, C., Dupas, S., Thiéry, D. et al. Do the mechanisms modulating host preference in holometabolous phytophagous insects depend on their host plant specialization? A quantitative literature analysis. J Pest Sci 90, 797–805 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-017-0833-4

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